Does BC need an innovation fund to fight fires?
Summary
The Mike Smyth Show discusses British Columbia’s struggle with modern wildfires using outdated methods. Host Rob Faye interviews Kirsten Edemark of the Council of Canadian Innovators about the need for a dedicated Wildfire Innovation Fund. Edemark argues this fund would help local governments contract homegrown tech companies for AI detection and prevention. She highlights how scaling these solutions can save lives, reduce costs, and boost BC’s global tech competitiveness.
Topics discussed
BC wildfire challenges and the need for an innovation fund
The commercialization gap for local wildfire tech
Priorities: Early detection and the SenseNet success story
Shifting from reactive to proactive government strategy
Addressing budget concerns and long-term savings
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